Pittsburgh Pirates: Early Season Trade Chips

The Pittsburgh Pirates are off to another Pirates-type start. They sit in last place in the National League Central and have shown zero signs of life over the first month and a half of the season. They must start considering who their trade chips are. This is not all too different from their previous two or three decades of playing.

Even so, the Pirates have some interesting trade chips to offer for contending teams this year including a center fielder, a relief pitcher, and a catcher. Will the Pirates decide to sell some of their assets or do they believe they are close to contending? As evidenced by this year, the Pirates may not be close to contending and should probably continue to focus on building and replenishing their farm system through leveraging some quality trade chips.

Pittsburgh Pirates trade chips

Bryan Reynolds, CF

Bryan Reynolds would return the most for the Pittsburgh Pirates as a 26-year-old centerfield, not eligible for free agency until 2026. It might be a stretch for the Pirates to trade their centerfielder as he could also be used as a foundational building block for the organization. However, the organization needs to make some surprising moves and acquire more assets if they ever want to be competitive. Trading Reynolds would accelerate that process because he would surely demand a package of multiple prospects.

Reynolds burst onto the scene in 2019 as a 24-year-old. In 546 plate appearances, Reynolds slashed a superb .314/.377/.880 with 16 home runs and 37 doubles. As a rookie, Reynolds ended the season with a very respectable 4.1 Wins Above Replacement. 2020 was a struggle for the 25-year-old as he stayed below the Mendoza line with a .189/.275/.632 slash. After his impeccable start to the 2021 season, we can write off his disastrous, shortened 2020 season. Thus far, he leads the Pirates in WAR with 1.7 in 39 games.

The 2016 second-round pick out of Vanderbilt has continually shown above-average power and defense throughout his career. Interestingly enough, it seems that Reynolds has changed his approach to the plate and is more interested in hitting the ball into the gap instead of over the wall as evidenced by his league-leading 15 doubles in 163 plate appearances. His home run percentage has dropped dramatically compared to his prior two seasons in the major leagues (2.9% in 2019, 3.4% in 2020, and 1.8% in 2021).

A team trading for Reynolds would pick up a starting center fielder with power to the gaps, quality defense, and a middle-of-the-order hitter who absolutely mashes left-handed pitching. In 2021, Reynolds has hit lefties to the tune of .381/.435/1.078 in 46 plate appearances compared to his slash line against righties which sits at .255/.376/.764.